Let’s augment the future together!:Augmented reality troubleshooting support for IT/OT rolling stock failures

The railway industry is moving to a socio-technological system that relies on computer-controlled and human-machine interfaces. Opportunities arise for creating new services and commercial business cases by using technological innovations and traffic management systems. The convergence of Information Technology (IT) with Operational Technology (OT) is critical for cost-effective and reliable railway operations. However, this convergence introduces complexities, leading to more intricate rolling stock system failures. Hence, operators necessitate assistance in their troubleshooting and maintenance strategy to simplify the decision-making and action-taking processes. Augmented Reality (AR) emerges as a pivotal tool for troubleshooting within this context. AR enhances the operator’s ability to visualize, contextualize, and understand complex data by overlaying real-time and virtual information onto physical objects. AR supports the identification of IT/OT rolling stock system failures, offers troubleshooting directions, and streamlines maintenance procedures, ultimately enhancing decision-making and action-taking processes. This thesis investigates how AR can support operators in navigating troubleshooting and maintenance challenges posed by IT/OT rolling stock system failures in the railway industry

Digital transformation of the Portuguese footwear industry

Technology is evolving the fastest it has ever been, and not following innovation can be life-threatening for any company. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is based on interconnection, transparency, and decentralization to achieve smart factories. Using Industry 4.0 technological pillars is essential to transforming industrial production, increasing productivity, efficiency, and quality while reducing costs and waste. The footwear industry has significant importance in the Portuguese economy. As part of the fashion industry, it is expected to innovate and create trends while maintaining classiness and timelessness, making it unique and complex. Furthermore, since Industry 4.0 is a currently highly studied and talked-about topic, it only makes sense to understand the adoption state of Industry 4.0 technology in such a complex industry as the Portuguese footwear industry. The study used qualitative exploratory research, collecting insight from footwear companies and the sector associations, through direct observations, via shopfloor visits, and semi-structured interviews, where key participants discussed the level of Industry 4.0 implementation. Despite having motivation, there is a long way to go. Although some of the technologies of Industry 4.0 are heavily utilized, such as simulation and horizontal and vertical integration, companies need more Industry 4.0 literacy to move towards an integral and effective implementation. A cluster composed mainly of microenterprises, paired with strong resistance to change and where the handmade aspect is valued, hinders the adoption of Industry 4.0. Although changing slowly, it is an industry with the potential to participate in Industry 4.0.A tecnologia está a evoluir mais rápido do que nunca, e não acompanhar a inovação pode ser um risco de vida para qualquer empresa. A Quarta Revolução Industrial baseia-se na interconexão, transparência e descentralização com o objetivo de alcançar fábricas inteligentes. A utilização dos pilares tecnológicos da Indústria 4.0 é essencial para transformar a produção industrial, aumentando a produtividade, a eficiência e a qualidade, reduzindo custos e desperdícios. A indústria do calçado tem uma importância significativa na economia portuguesa. Como parte da indústria da moda, espera-se que inove e crie tendências, mantendo a classe e a intemporalidade, tornando-a única e complexa. Além disso, sendo a Indústria 4.0 um tema atualmente muito estudado e falado, faz sentido perceber o estado de adoção da tecnologia da Indústria 4.0 numa indústria tão complexa como a indústria portuguesa de calçado. O estudo recorreu a uma investigação qualitativa exploratória, recolhendo informação junto das empresas de calçado e das associações do setor, através de observações diretas, via visitas ao chão de fábrica, e entrevistas semiestruturadas, onde os participantes foram questionados sobre Indústria 4.0. Apesar da motivação, há um longo caminho a percorrer. Embora algumas tecnologias da Indústria 4.0 sejam fortemente utilizadas, como simulação e integração horizontal e vertical, as empresas precisam de mais conhecimento de Indústria 4.0, para uma implementação integral e eficaz. Um cluster composto principalmente por microempresas, aliado a uma forte resistência à mudança e onde o aspecto artesanal é valorizado, dificulta a adoção da Indústria 4.0. Apesar da lenta mudança, é uma indústria com potencial para participar na Indústria 4.0

Discrete event simulation and virtual reality use in industry: new opportunities and future trends

This paper reviews the area of combined discrete event simulation (DES) and virtual reality (VR) use within industry. While establishing a state of the art for progress in this area, this paper makes the case for VR DES as the vehicle of choice for complex data analysis through interactive simulation models, highlighting both its advantages and current limitations. This paper reviews active research topics such as VR and DES real-time integration, communication protocols, system design considerations, model validation, and applications of VR and DES. While summarizing future research directions for this technology combination, the case is made for smart factory adoption of VR DES as a new platform for scenario testing and decision making. It is put that in order for VR DES to fully meet the visualization requirements of both Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet visions of digital manufacturing, further research is required in the areas of lower latency image processing, DES delivery as a service, gesture recognition for VR DES interaction, and linkage of DES to real-time data streams and Big Data sets

Developing a macro-dynamic framework of start-up growth drivers supported by digital marketing

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The AuthorsThe contemporary market positions digital marketing as a powerful mediator between efficient digital interaction, data interpretation opportunities, and business growth, while extending its impact potential to tackle different growth challenges. As start-ups usually have limited resources and struggle with customer engagement, retention, and other growth challenges, the low investment and dynamic elements of digital marketing tools can be used to support constructive digital interactions impacting start-up growth. Consequently, these links have outlined an extended digital marketing impact in the areas which build on marketing and sales and influence growth components such as product & market testing, customer engagement, and partnership development. Through a systematic literature review, we present a holistic overview encompassing start-up growth areas that use digital marketing. We also discuss how digital marketing efforts complement the start-up maturity. Furthermore, we analyze the differences in B2B and B2C digital marketing usage and discuss how emerging technologies impact digital marketing. The link between the extended digital marketing impact, start-up challenges, and growth areas result in the identification of start-up growth drivers supported by digital marketing. We propose a Macro-Dynamic framework identifying the start-up growth drivers from product, market, team, and finance areas and digital marketing tactics connected to the identified growth drivers.publishersversionpublishe

Prevalence of haptic feedback in robot-mediated surgery : a systematic review of literature

© 2017 Springer-Verlag. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Robotic Surgery. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-017-0763-4With the successful uptake and inclusion of robotic systems in minimally invasive surgery and with the increasing application of robotic surgery (RS) in numerous surgical specialities worldwide, there is now a need to develop and enhance the technology further. One such improvement is the implementation and amalgamation of haptic feedback technology into RS which will permit the operating surgeon on the console to receive haptic information on the type of tissue being operated on. The main advantage of using this is to allow the operating surgeon to feel and control the amount of force applied to different tissues during surgery thus minimising the risk of tissue damage due to both the direct and indirect effects of excessive tissue force or tension being applied during RS. We performed a two-rater systematic review to identify the latest developments and potential avenues of improving technology in the application and implementation of haptic feedback technology to the operating surgeon on the console during RS. This review provides a summary of technological enhancements in RS, considering different stages of work, from proof of concept to cadaver tissue testing, surgery in animals, and finally real implementation in surgical practice. We identify that at the time of this review, while there is a unanimous agreement regarding need for haptic and tactile feedback, there are no solutions or products available that address this need. There is a scope and need for new developments in haptic augmentation for robot-mediated surgery with the aim of improving patient care and robotic surgical technology further.Peer reviewe

3D Cadastres Best Practices, Chapter 5: Visualization and New Opportunities

This paper proposes a discussion on opportunities offered by 3D visualization to improve the understanding and the analysis of cadastre data. It first introduce the rationale of having 3D visualization functionalities in the context of cadastre applications. Second the publication outline some basic concepts in 3D visualization. This section specially addresses the visualization pipeline as a driven classification schema to understand the steps leading to 3D visualization. In this section is also presented a brief review of current 3D standards and technologies. Next is proposed a summary of progress made in the last years in 3D cadastral visualization. For instance, user’s requirement, data and semiotics, and platforms are highlighted as main actions performed in the development of 3D cadastre visualization. This review could be perceived as an attempt to structure and emphasise the best practices in the domain of 3D cadastre visualization and as an inventory of issues that still need to be tackled. Finally, by providing a review on advances and trends in 3D visualization, the paper initiates a discussion and a critical analysis on the benefit of applying these new developments to cadastre domain. This final section discusses about enhancing 3D techniques as dynamic transparency and cutaway, 3D generalization, 3D visibility model, 3D annotation, 3D data and web platform, augmented reality, immersive virtual environment, 3D gaming, interaction techniques and time

Extended reality technologies in small and medium-sized European industrial companies: level of awareness, diffusion and enablers of adoption

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), collectively referred to as “extended reality” (XR), have begun to diffuse in industry. However, the current levels of awareness, perceived limitations, and use of AR and VR, as well as the potential differences on these aspects between these technologies are still not well known. Moreover, it is unknown whether small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) differ from large companies on these issues. This research employed a mixed methods research design to address this gap by carrying out a cross-sectional survey (n = 208) to gauge European industrial companies’ level of AR and VR awareness and adoption, and by interviewing 45 companies in nine European countries in order to identify critical enabling factors in the adoption of XR for SMEs. Results show no statistical difference between the respondents’ perceptions toward AR and VR or in their use levels. Thus, examining AR and VR under the umbrella term XR seems justified, especially in the context of their organizational use. However, larger companies were found to be using XR more than SMEs. Analysis of interviews based on the technology–organization–environment framework also yielded several enabling factors affecting XR adoption and specified whether they are particularly highlighted in the SME context. Overall, this paper contributes to XR research by providing a holistic multi-country overview that highlights key issues for managers aiming to invest in these technologies, as well as critical organizational perspectives to be considered by scholars